On Aug. 9, FOX revealed that former "Beverly Hills, 90210" teen queen Shannen Doherty was joining the cast for at least three episodes with the possibility of a longer run. Just like magic, on Aug. 13 FOX announced that "North Shore" was getting a back-nine pick-up, the ultimate vote of confidence for a show whose fan base is devoted, if tiny. Nobody is explicitly saying that "North Shore" is sticking around because of Doherty but Shannen did acknowledge "I think it(extension) had been casually mentioned to me." The natural instinct, particularly if you're a wildly optimistic FOX executive, is to compare Doherty's arrival on "North Shore" to the moment Heather Locklear moved into "Melrose Place" and transformed what was a sluggish "90210" spin-off into a brilliantly trashy institution. Certainly there appears to be some similarly bitchy DNA shared between Locklear's fiery Amanda Woodward and Doherty's Alexandra Hudson. "We wanted what we sometimes call an 'engine' on these shows, to not only give an expected ratings jump and bring more viewers to a show that has momentum, but also that is something that a story spins off on," said a FOX executive. "She was just the perfect point for people to spin around."
Does Doherty feel the presure? "It's a huge amount of pressure," Doherty says nervously. "Heather Locklear is amazing and what she does for shows is terrific and it's big footsteps to follow in. I'm very comfortable with the fact that I have an amazing fan base that is just so loyal." North Shore" has already signed Doherty for three additional episodes, bringing her run to six and counting. How long Doherty will stay with the series remains open and having already left two successful shows in the midst of their runs, she acknowledges that she finds the TV schedule "a grind."
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